Gremlin's Tall Stories

Saturday night, I had spoken to Toto about riding on Sunday, but he was working. He did want a txt to see where I was going, as he wanted a short ride somewhere, so perhaps he could meet up. I got to bed late on Saturday, ok, 4am Sunday, with Daylight Savings taken into account, so I wasn’t up before midday Sunday anyway.

Once I had read up on the Zumo 660 vs 550 (currently have the 550, and I won’t upgrade to the 660) and planned a route – maximising the fuel range, as the 2nd fuel tank needed to be tested, checked the weather, Cape Reinga was definitely on the cards. After the failure last weekend, I wasn’t going to let it beat me, and was determined to do it.

However, it was now 2pm and time for lunch. Then I get distracted by MotoGP on TV. Toto gets txted, and yes, meet him at ‘treads and he’s keen for a ride. Not so keen for Cape Reinga, but we’ll do a Northland Loop and decide at Kaikohe. Well… he’ll decide

Typically, I’m on time… ok, late, 30min late, but he’s used to it. Off to Dargaville via a few back roads, about 200km. Toto fancies the Cape, but needs permission from his boss to come in a bit later on Monday, he’ll find out later if its approved.

Minimal stops needed, just checking everything is good every 100km or so and Dargaville is reached around 6.30pm. Too early for Dinner, and Toto wants a pie in Kaikohe. I fill up both tanks, intending on giving the system its best test yet. Basically, I have a marine grade fuel tank holding 11.5L strapped and braced to the back seat of the bike, in front of the top box. This is then plumbed into my fuel line, and gravity plays its part. The 2nd fuel tank is used up first, because its higher, then the main fuel tank, so reserve is still a normal 4L in the main tank. I’ve estimated I may be able to do 400km without reserve, the main tank does 200-250km on 15L, totally depending on how I ride it.

I want to fill in Dargaville, then head through Kaikohe, Kaitaia, Cape Reinga then back to Kaitaia before re-filling, a total distance of 450km ish. Fast but economical riding is required (what I need for Grand Challenge and TT2000), because too slow and not enough distance is covered in the required time. Too fast, and I use too much fuel, and unable to fill infrequently enough (stops really kill your average speed). Theoretically, it’s totally possible I will run out before I get back to Kaitaia, so perfect motivation to get it right. Toto gets a txt that all is sweet, and yes, he can start later, so it’s not all bad. Worst comes to the worst, he can get me some gas (wait… he never knew about that plan… guess he does if he reads this )

We leave Dargaville and set a nice pace north. Not too many dramas, but Toto finds water across the road in Waipoua Forest can be slippery (really Toto, I mean… really? ). I find out just after the forest that a dark patch in the middle of the road is gravel, right after both wheels slide on it… while trying to enter a corner. Waipoua Forest is in better condition than last week, most of the debris from the storms has been cleared. It’s getting dark and before we reach Opononi sun has set. Huge amount of locals enjoying the pub, guess there is nothing else to do (other than shagging the missus… or sheep), as Toto and I discussed at Kaikohe. Toto has been on his clear visor since the North Shore, I’m still on my tint, but can’t be bothered stopping until Kaikohe.

On the way there, we encounter huge amounts of bugs. They were hitting me and my visor about 1 a second in the heavier parts, sounded like rain. I even thought it was rain until I noticed my vision was getting more and more blocked. Even a solid cleaning at Kaikohe didn’t completely remove them, nor on the headlight, indicators or LED strips. Least I had a small screen, which deflected the bulk. Toto had the upper half of his jacket covered in bugs. Servo meal and clean at Kaikohe, Toto re-fueled, I swapped to my clear visor and we carried on north.

Mangamuka Gorge was not in good condition, with plenty of seal repairs going on, and a lot of bumpy seal. When I came through months ago, it was all hot mix, and with the heavy cambers, a complete joy to ride. It’s hard to ever say SH1 is entertaining to ride, normally the complete opposite in fact. The Mangamuka Gorge is different though. Heavy camber and big rises and falls in elevation, it really is fun to ride, with tight corners one after another.

This time, I make Kaikohe without blowing a single filament. It is really nice to have high and low beam, be able to dip the headlight, and I stop briefly to let Toto catch up. Its 9.45pm and we have just enough time to fill in Caltex (they close at 10pm). There is Mobil, open 24/7, but I wanted to catch up with the bloke I had a yarn with the last time, and sure enough, he’s there.

Quick catch up, Toto fills up, the fella thinks I’m evidently mad riding to Cape Reinga at this time, but he’s not the first and won’t be the last. Back on the road and still north we go. The roads are quiet of vehicle traffic, but now the wildlife is out in full force. Evidently not a lot of traffic usually at night, the possums are all over the road, asking to get collected. Hedgehogs are sapping the warmth of the tar, usually only noticing a vehicle after its passed, and even stray dogs give me the surprise of my life, one gave me two scares. I know of people who have hit them in the past, and while not the killers like cows and horses, they can still do plenty of damage, so care has to be taken. The animals eyes glow in the dark first, then the shape becomes visible in your headlight and decisions have to be made on how to avoid, and where the animal is going.

Close to reaching the Cape, I find the new section of seal hard going. Reminded of how the gravel looked, I just don’t feel the same level of comfort on this seal as other corners. I remember where Westpac landed for a young fella when he came off and broke his ankle. It was our first trip to the Cape and we were delayed by 4 hours, assisting. Still, when the chopper left, I’ve never forgotten the silence, clear night sky and stars from horizon to horizon, 360 degrees.

I reach the bowl at Cape Reinga just before 11pm and there is low lying cloud right down to the car park and for a kilometre before as well. I’m still disappointed that with all the scenery they put the car park in a bowl. Ruins the view and the fake noises scared away all the real noise makers. Crazy The LED strips make an eerie scene with the cloud while I wait for Toto, who as usual, I can hear well before he comes into view. We enjoy the view, quietness, and Toto remarks that you can’t see much. I point out that, being shortly before midnight, no, not a lot is going to be seen, especially with all the cloud. However, as our eyes adjust, we see surf down one side, bits of the lighthouse light and a light blinking in the distance.

Little after 11.30pm we head south and down to Kaitaia. My trip meter is already showing 335km before leaving the Cape, time will tell how successful I have been in riding economically. The ride is mostly the same as before, a blasted dog that scared me the first time (but was on the opposite side of the road) is out again, and on my side, jumping around. Swerve as best I could, I think the light scared him a little as well, so no problem. Speaking to Toto, he seems to encounter much less of the wildlife, so I think I was clearing the way for him. I also had a few close calls with animals bursting across the road, but all part and parcel of night riding.

40km north of Kaitaia, at 410km, my reserve light comes on. I’d been thinking about it since 390km, hoping like hell I had ridden economically, but with no way of knowing until the light came on, I hoped it was good news. I figured any less than 400km could be bad news, so 410 wasn’t too bad, and I was probably going to make it. Still, top gear as much as possible, careful use of the throttle, and try to keep corner speed up.

I stopped in Awanui briefly for Toto to catch up. With only one main road in Kaitaia, I still didn’t completely trust he would find his way to the Mobil (after going past it, he still asked where it was when at the Cape). It was a good feeling to reach the Mobil, didn’t run out, but what was the news? Took a while to fill both tanks, but I estimate I had 1L left in the main tank, then I would have been dry. It equates to 15-16km… not a lot when you consider I rode for 450km. Useful knowledge to add to, to calculate what I can reliably do before reserve.

Chatted for a while, a sausage roll each consumed this time, and I commented to Toto it was handy having crazy mates who considered a night ride to Cape Reinga, around 1000km, was a fun prospect. I was met with a grin and thumbs up. Awesome

I explained the planned route south at length to the spatially unaware Mr Toto. We would go over the top, using SH10, then drop down onto SH1, as we had already done the Mangamukas. Assurances were guaranteed we were not using the infamous “shortcut” I explored last time, which ended up in Toto parking his bike on its side on a gravel road in the middle of nowhere. He seems to remember it well, for some odd reason.

The GPS had other ideas, wanting to depart SH10 twice, for a route more towards Russell, but suspecting something was afoot, I was already double checking its advice when the requisite turn appeared as a tiny road off to the left. Valuing my life, I thought it best to continue on the main road south and make it home alive. Sure enough, it turned out on SH1, and a boring trip down SH1 commenced.

Boring State Highways can be… well… boring, but they are also a safe way to end the ride when fatigue is becoming a factor, and even fatigue is a good test. I’ve found you get more fatigued on boring roads, so keeping awake is a good technique to master, and harder to do when the road just grinds on and you don’t need to fully concentrate for complex corners.

A stop at Western Hills Caltex for gas for Toto (I’m fine for home), who’s feeling the ride, getting tired, but an offer to slap him in the face is refused. He opts for the more boring route of an energy drink, but feels awake after it. Another servo clean to keep the bugs off the lights and onwards to Auckland. No more stops required, it was now just a boring and careful grind to Auckland, paying close attention to the speedo, what with the changes in limit through the Brynderwyns and Dome Valley. Despite it being late Sunday, early Monday, there’s still a chance of cops on the hunt, and they are known to ticket for 111kph.

My reserve light comes on shortly before Warkworth, which isn’t a good sign. I’m supposed to have plenty of gas for home, only 380km on the outside, shouldn’t even need reserve. I’ve had it before, and it usually means air isn’t getting into the 2nd tank, which means fuel can’t leave the tank (pressurised). I adjust the breather nozzle a little, inspect the tank, and yes, almost full. Oh well, we’ll see what happens. The problem is, even if the tank starts working, I won’t know, because the main tank has still been drained, so the bike still shows the reserve light. Only one way to find out…

And find out I do, in the middle of spaghetti junction. Toto has turned off for home, and Katie grinds to a halt, out of fuel. Damn tank. I don’t have a hose to decant the fuel, but settle for loosening the straps on the tank to allow me to pour the fuel into a bottle, and then into the main tank. Of course, this is no easy task, fuel is spilt over the bike, me, and it’s annoying. Either the operators in ATOM were asleep, or enjoying the show, but no cops come to check, which wasn’t a problem, I knew what needed doing.

With the bulk of the fuel transferred and smelling like fuel, I finished the 20km home had a shower and went to bed. Not sure of the finally distance exactly, but I believe around 1040km ish in 13.5 hours, including all the stops.